Don't Leave Me
by The Sage of Spirits
Summary: Linus was dead. Father was dead. He was all she had left, and she did not want him to leave her too. She had to see him. She had to convince him. He couldn't leave her. ...Don't leave me.


**Don't Leave Me**

Nino ran past the dead Black Fang members, looking down at their bleeding corpses. She cringed, looking away. She had to shake the image in her head. She had to get to Lloyd. That man said Lloyd was here! If she could somehow get past these men, she could talk to him. "Ah!" she jumped back to dodge a sword from a myrmidon. She quickly opened her tome. "Elfire!" She held her palm facing the swordsman as a fireball flew at him, burning the ground around him and enveloping him in a swirl of fire. The myrmidon staggered back but shook it off, managing to charge toward her. "No!"

She saw a blur run past her and found the myrmidon already on the ground. "What?" She looked up. "Oh! Thank you, Jaffar!"

Jaffar merely nodded his head. "…Stay close."

"Right." Nino ran ahead, Jaffar running beside her. As she was running, she spotted another myrmidon coming her way and opened her tome. "Elfire!" She watched the fire engulf the swordsman, but he still stood. "Why is my magic not strong enough?"

"Stay here." Jaffar was about to run off when a pegasus flew by.

Florina dove down and impaled the swordsman with her lance before flying back up. She looked to find her lance stuck in the body. "Ah!" She lowered her lance and kicked the corpse off, watching it land onto the ground with a thud. Florina shivered. Looking back down, she found Nino and Jaffar. "Come on, Huey! Let's head down!" She pulled on the reins, angling Huey lower toward them. "Nino!"

Nino looked up, spotting Florina coming down. "Miss Florina!" She smiled, waving her arm. She looked down, spotting the mercenary coming toward her. "Oh no!" She quickly opened her Elfire spell book, but before she could do anything, a sword swung at her. She ducked, just nearly dodging a decapitation.

Suddenly, the mercenary fell onto the ground, a pegasus on top of him. Florina looked down, spotting the man under Huey's hooves. "O-Oh no! N-Not again! I… I'm so sorry!"

"…" Jaffar walked over the man crushed by Huey, slashing his throat. "…Done."

Florina looked down. "O…Oh… Okay…" She sighed, closing her eyes. "Nino, why are you in the frontlines? It's too dangerous…"

"I… I have to go see Lloyd! I need to talk to him! If I do, I'm sure he'll understand!" Nino walked forward, stepping on the mercenary's hand. "Ah!" She stepped back, falling over. Jaffar grabbed her hood, yanking her up. "T-Thanks, Jaffar. But please, don't send me back! I need to speak to him!"

"Oh… Okay… Here, I'll take you to him then." Florina said, scooting a little closer to Huey's neck. "Don't worry, he doesn't bite."

Nino's eyes shot open, a grin beaming on her face. "Oh wow! I get to ride on a pegasus? Really?"

Florina giggled, holding her hand to her mouth. "Yup. I can take you to Lloyd. Do you know where he is?" She saw Nino look down, tilting her head away. Florina gasped, placing her hand against her face. She turned to the shrine. "Do you think he's over there?"

Nino gasped, pointing to the shrine. "Yes! I think he is! Can we go?" She saw Florina nod her head. "Yay! Thanks, Miss Florina! So uh… How do I get on him?"

"Huey, could you lower please?" she said, preparing her legs as Huey knelt down. "Thank you, Huey." She smiled, petting his mane.

Nino threw her leg over Huey's back, wrapping her arms around Florina. Huey raised himself to prepare for takeoff. "I'm ready! Jaffar, are you coming?"

Jaffar stabbed the sniper in the leg, slashing outward and tearing the skin. He rushed back to Nino, looking at Huey. "Is there room?"

Florina shrugged, looking at Huey. "I umm… I don't know. Huey… Huey never carried more than… two people… Umm… Huey, can you carry him as well?" Huey neighed, kicking the dirt on the ground before lowering himself once more. "I… I think Huey wants to try, since… since we're both so… light… You… You aren't… heavy, a-are you?"

Jaffar shook his head, straddling on Huey's back. "…I'm ready. All snipers in the area are dead. …We're safe."

Huey lifted himself onto his hooves, flapping his wings. He raised himself into the air before two myrmidons could reach them. He flew higher up before lowering himself a bit, trying to balance the weight. Florina saw the stairs leading up to the shrine, spotting two swordsmen guarding the entrance. "Oh no, there are some people down there…" She turned to Nino. "We'll have to fly in through the front so I can get them with my lance…"

Jaffar shook his head. "Go overhead. I will deal with them."

Florina slowly nodded her head, pulling on Huey's reins to go higher. Huey neighed loudly, snorting. "Huey can't go any higher. He's using a lot of energy carrying us… Huey, can you fly over the shrine?" Huey neighed again, nodding his head. "Oh good…" she said, sighing with relief. "Let's go, Huey!" Huey flew swiftly over to the shrine, hovering just over head. "We're over the shrine…"

"Good. Take care of Nino."

"Eh?" Florina widened her eyes as she saw Jaffar flip backward, freefalling toward the shrine. "Ahh!" Florina grabbed her reins, yanking Huey toward Jaffar.

"Wait, Miss Florina! Jaffar's done this before. It's okay!" Nino said, smiling nervously. "H-He scared me with it too, b-but h-he'll be alright."

Jaffar picked up speed as he dived downward. As he neared the first swordsman, he grabbed his knife. Before the myrmidon could jump out of the way, Jaffar rammed his knife into the myrmidon's throat. Immediately flipping off of the man, he flung his free knife at the other myrmidon's neck. Lloyd remained still, shaking his head. "So it's you, Jaffar. I'm surprised to see you here." Lloyd looked up, spotting Huey swooping into the shrine. He gasped. "Nino…" Lloyd closed his eyes, smiling sadly.

Nino immediately jumped off of Huey, stumbling onto the ground. She fell forward, rolling into the stone wall. "L-Lloyd!" She quickly picked herself up, leaning against the wall for support. "Lloyd, it's really you!"

Lloyd tilted his head, sheathing his Light Brand. "Nino… So you at least are safe. Why have you come here, Nino?"

Nino stepped forward, biting her lip. She kept her hands close to her chest. "Lloyd, why are we fighting? Why do we have to fight?" She looked down at his hands, making sure that they were not near his sword. "Please! Come with me!"

"Nino… I'm sorry." Lloyd shook his head, closing his eyes. "They were Linus' enemies. He was killed in the battle he was in with them." Nino gasped, placing her hands onto her mouth. "If you don't believe me, ask that pegasus knight over there. I'm sure she would know."

Nino shifted her head to Florina, her eyes widened. "Miss Florina… Is… Is that true?"

"N-No!" Florina shook her head violently, her hair shaking as well. "I was in that battle… Lord Eliwood… He wanted to talk to him…! He… I… I don't know the rest, but I was told that he left alive!" Florina pulled on the reins, lifting Huey into the air. "Please, wait here while I go get Lord Eliwood! Please! Don't fight!" Florina hurried off toward the southeast, vanishing over the walls of the shrine.

Nino watched Florina off until she could no longer see her. Instantly, she turned to Lloyd. "Lloyd, please! I understand that Lord Eliwood was Linus' enemy, but there has to be more going on that we don't know about!" She stepped forward, throwing her arm out. She felt her eyes watering and bit her lip. "Lloyd!"

"Shh…" Nino looked up to see Lloyd walking over, his hands away from his sword. He placed his hand onto her head, ruffling her hair. "Nino…"

Nino hugged Lloyd, tears falling down her cheeks. "I don't want to lose you too, Lloyd!" She sobbed into his chest. "Father… Father's dead! Uncle Jan… Uncle Jan said… said that Sonia… Sonia killed him! If Linus… If Linus is dead, I… I can't lose you!"

Lloyd rubbed Nino's back, sighing to himself. So Father was dead too… It seemed that he joined Linus before him. Things would have gone smoother had Nino not come here… "Nino… You said Sonia killed Father? So your mother…"

Nino pulled away, shaking her head. "Sonia… She's… not my mother. She… She never was…" She bit her lip, looking downward. "She… killed my real parents… for the secrets they held…" She laid her head against Lloyd's chest. She felt his hand rubbing against the back of her head. "Lloyd… Please… Please don't die… Don't… Don't leave me!" Nino pounded against Lloyd's chest, sobbing into it.

Lloyd continued to rub Nino's head, looking up to Jaffar. "Jaffar. I'm surprised you haven't killed me yet. I'm vulnerable. What holds you back?"

Jaffar pushed himself off of the wall he was leaning on. "…I'm protecting Nino. That is all I'm here for."

Lloyd chuckled to himself, closing his eyes. "I never thought I'd hear you say that. To think that you have changed is surprising." He looked down at Nino, sighing. "Nino. I was never able to say no to you, you know that?" He heard her gasp, seeing her look up at him. "I suppose I will listen to what they have to say first. If I don't like what I hear, we fight. Alright?"

Nino closed her eyes, wiping them dry. "Lloyd… Thank you… But I… I couldn't…"

Lloyd continued to quiet her, rubbing her back softly. They remained quiet as she kept a tight grip onto him. He found she would not let go, even when he took a step back. He chuckled darkly. She was afraid she would lose him if she let go. He looked up, spotting two pegasi flying downward. "It seems your friend returned with company."

"It's certainly nice to see you again, Lloyd." Legault said, hopping off of Huey. "When Florina came looking for Lord Eliwood, she was quite flustered. You didn't do anything again, did you? Do I have to beat some sense into that stubborn head of yours again?"

"So, you've joined up with him as well, Legault. Somehow that doesn't surprise me." he said, stroking Nino's hair. He turned to Eliwood, who was getting off of Fiora's pegasus. "I presume you are Eliwood of Pharae?"

"Yes, I am." He looked at Florina before returning his gaze back to Lloyd. "So you are Lloyd Reed? I heard from Florina about what happened. And I am sure that you wish to hear it to be true, but Linus did not die by our hand."

Lloyd sighed. "And how am I to believe you? What proof do you have?"

"I do not have proof other than my words, but I can say to you, we did not kill him. He left our company after the battle to confront your leader, Brandon Reed. He said that he did not understand why we were the targets of the Black Fang. He had honor, and we knew it when he made sure the citizens stayed out of harms way. That was why I wanted to speak with him. I wanted to ask him why we had to fight."

"So, is that all you have to say or is there more?" Lloyd released Nino from his grasp, stepping back. She only followed him.

"We simply continued on our way thinking that he returned to your commander." Eliwood looked down, making sure that Lloyd was not reaching for his sword. "I did not know he had died until Florina told me. I have this feeling… that he was another victim of Nergal and his morphs. I know that I cannot prove to you that that is what happened, but that is the truth."

"So I am to base my decision on words? How do I know you are not lying?"

Eliwood stepped forward. "Why would I have a reason to lie to you?"

Legault closed his eyes, sighing. "You just want to die, don't you, Lloyd?" He walked up to Lloyd, smacking him across the face. "Lloyd, let's face it. We both know Linus. He wanted to prove to you that he could do an assignment by himself, especially something of this caliber. He probably went ahead and started the whole mess in the first place."

Eliwood turned to Legault, putting his hands up. "Legault, I know you are trying to help, but…"

"No, Legault is right." Lloyd closed his eyes, shaking his head. A soft sigh escaped his lips. "Linus was rash. He was my brother, and I loved him, but he got into the mess he did because he didn't listen to me. Even I understand that." He smiled weakly. "I had planned on taking you with me as a gift. But if what you say is true, I've been chasing the wrong prey."

Nino gasped. "Lloyd? Are you…?"

Lloyd nodded his head. "For now, I will take your words to heart. If I am to find the truth, I have to believe you are not lying to me. We will postpone our fight until I find out what happened."

Eliwood walked toward Lloyd, holding out his hand. "If you are trying to find out the truth, you should come with us. We are trying to stop Nergal and his plans, and so we will eventually be fighting against him."

"Is that so? I suppose that would be easiest for me, then. That way, if you were lying here, I know where to find you."

Nino widened her eyes, holding her fists up. "Lloyd!"

"Nino, it is okay." Eliwood said, nodding his head to Lloyd. "I understand. I merely hope that day does not come."

Lloyd chuckled. "I'll let you know if I'm going to strike you, as to give you time to prepare yourself. But for now, I suppose it's time we stopped fighting. I can take care of the rest of my men. We should get going, then." Lloyd walked down the steps of the shrine, Nino hanging onto his side. He swore she was being dragged by the look of it. But shaking it off, he looked around for any signs of his remaining men. _It _s_eems like it'll be a little while longer until I join you, Linus. I'll avenge you first._ He turned around to find Nino still clinging to him and smiled. Perhaps this would not be so bad after all.

* * *

This was written for Li (Regina Racae Mortis) as a gift for a special event. Heheh. I kinda tried to torture her a bit because I didn't tell her what it was for, so hopefully this will be a full surprise. Heheh. This also sort of came about since we both like pretty much every character mentioned in this, so I hope she enjoys it. And for the rest of you, I hope you enjoyed it as well.


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